'Everyone who loves the sea and what's in it should own this book.' - Bill Bryson From the blue whale to the Indo-Pacific finless porpoise, this handbook is the most comprehensive, authoritative and up-to-date reference to each of the world's 90 species of cetaceans. With more than 1,000 meticulous and specially commissioned illustrations – complete with flukes, blows and dive sequences – it includes detailed annotations pointing out significant field marks, as well as extensive distribution and migration maps. Many of the world's most respected whale biologists have collaborated on the text, helping to provide the ultimate guide to the identification, distribution, behaviour, life history and conservation of every species and subspecies of whale, dolphin and porpoise. This is an indispensable resource for anyone interested in these truly spectacular animals.

Practical and portable, this is the ultimate field guide to the world's cetaceans. This outstanding new field guide to whales, dolphins and porpoises is the most comprehensive, authoritative and up-to-date guide to these popular mammals. With more than 500 accurate illustrations – complete with detailed annotations pointing out the most significant field marks – Field Guide to Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises covers all 93 species and every subspecies in the world. Many of the world's most respected whale biologists have collaborated on the concise text, which is packed with helpful identification tips from cetacean expert, Mark Carwardine. Mark's informative text is accompanied by up-to-date distribution maps for each species. Beautifully designed, to ensure critical information is quickly accessible, this is an indispensable resource that every whale-watcher will want to carry out to sea.

Explains where whales, dolphins, and porpoises can be found around the world and describes the identifiable features of popular species.

No one ever says 'I can't remember if I've seen a whale.' A close encounter with one of the most enigmatic and remarkable creatures on the planet is a life-changing experience. Commercial whale-watching began in 1955 in California when a San Diego fisherman started taking people (for a dollar a time) to see Grey Whales migrating along the coast. Nowadays, 13 million people go whale-watching each year, in 119 different countries around the world. The undisputed hotspot – with more than half of all whale-watchers – is North America. Mark Carwardine's Guide to Whale-Watching in North America is the second in a series aimed at the millions of cetacean addicts around the world. It includes some of the world's ultimate wildlife experiences; tickling friendly grey whales in Mexico's San Ignacio Lagoon, listening to a live concert of singing humpback whales in Hawaii, being surrounded by thousands of dolphins in Monterey Bay, kayaking with pods of Orca off Vancouver Island, snorkelling with Beluga in Hudson Bay, and many more. This book covers all of the main whale-watching locations in the United States, Canada and Mexico; rich with photography throughout, it also includes sections on how to watch whales (including everything from identification to interpreting behaviour), and a field-guide section covering all the species that can be seen in North American waters. Mark Carwardine's guide is indispensable for all who loves whales in North America, and want to see them. Packed with useful information and top tips to help you get the most out of your trip, it includes a thorough account of whale-watching opportunities in some of the world's hotspots, from Hawai'i and Vancouver Island to the Gulf of Maine and Baja California, as well as detailed accounts of every cetacean species found in North America. Whether you want to watch Blue Whales in Monterey Bay, Killer Whales in the San Juan Islands, Narwhals in the high Arctic or North Atlantic Right Whales in the Bay of Fundy, this is an ideal companion.

The visual guide to all the world's cetaceans.

A new and fully updated edition of this popular title, which is the definitive guide to watching whales, dolphins and porpoises in British and other European waters. A fascinating introduction to whales and whale watching is followed by a detailed field guide with spectacular illustrations, identification and behaviour tips, dive sequences and distribution maps for all the cetaceans of Europe. The final part of the book provides a comprehensive guide to Europe's major whale watching sites, covering 19 countries in all, from Scotland and Ireland to Spain and Norway. Imagine watching Minke Whales in the light of the midnight sun in Iceland; snorkelling with a wild Bottlenose Dolphin; or sharing a day with a group of Blue Whales against a spectacular backdrop of snow-capped mountains. These are just a few of the whale and dolphin watching experiences now available in different parts of Europe, which is rapidly becoming a hot-spot for this exhilarating activity.

In 1980 a group of scientists censusing marine mammals in the Bay of Fundy was astonished by the sight of 25 right whales. Until that time, scientists believed the North Atlantic right whale was extinct or nearly so. The sightings electrified the research community, spurring a quarter century of exploration, which is documented here.